The Ganges River

The Ganges River flows through India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western part of the Himalayas. It flows east for total length of over 1,500 miles. The Ganges continues into Bangladesh, its name changing to the Padma. It is then joined by the Jamuna, the lower stream of the Brahmaputra, forming the major estuary of the Ganges Delta, and emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

The Ganges is a lifeline to millions of people who live in its basin and depend on it for their daily needs. The river is home to about 140 species of fish, 90 species of amphibians, and also reptiles and mammals, including critically endangered species such as the gharial and South Asian river dolphin.

The Ganges is the embodiment of all sacred waters in Hindu mythology. The Ganges and its all tributaries, especially the Yamuna, have been used for irrigation since ancient times. Dams and canals were common in the Gangetic plain by the 4th century BC. As of 1999, India utilized about 12% of the hydroelectric potential of the Ganges.